Chamber concertos

Live recording of performance in The Stoller Hall Manchester 12/11/2023

Music: Edward Lambert
Words: Thomas Middleton (1606)
Stage director: David Edwards
Movement: Jenny Weston
Design: Tabitha Benton-Evans
Laure Meloy (soprano) Duchess
Madeline Robinson (soprano) Virginia
Leila Zanette (mezzo-soprano) Vindicio
Mae Heydorn (mezzo-soprano) Gratiana
Francis Gush (counter-tenor) Prince
Lawrence Thackeray (tenor) Spurio
William Diggle (tenor) Vacuo.   http://williamdiggle.com
Charles Johnston  (baritone) King
Christopher Foster (bass) Antonio
Piano duet: Alex Norton, Adrian Salinero

“Would all those there were turned into a corpse!"
Adapted from The Revenger’s Tragedy by Thomas Middleton (1606) - famously made into the 2002 movie starring Christopher Eccleston, Eddie Izzard and Derek Jacobi - this brand new chamber opera is set in a dystopian underworld of criminality, lust and murder. Vindicio is a young man played by a woman who, for much of the drama, disguises himself as a woman. And that’s just the start. He carries around with him the death mask of his girlfriend whom the King murdered; he seeks revenge, but is intercepted by the King’s son, the Prince, who wants to bed Vindicio’s sister. So begins this saga of revenge which is over 400 years old - but still a timeless indictment of corruption and sleaze in the corridors of power.

Edward Lambert: Masque of Vengeance

Live recording of a performance at The Space, London E14 on 25 Feb 2024

Ellie Neate (soprano) Beatrice, Duchess of Padua	
Anna Elizabeth Cooper (mezzo-soprano) Guido Ferranti
James Beddoe (tenor) The Duke of Padua
Henry Grant Kerswell (bass) Count Moranzone
Director: Fleur Snow
Designer: Melissa Sofoian
Words: Oscar Wilde
Music: Edward Lambert

The Duchess of Padua 
Oscar Wilde's epic tragedy of revenge, passion and murder turned into a compact opera. An avenging young man falls for the browbeaten duchess and casts them both into danger. At times melodramatic, at times sentimental, with everything in between, this adaptation of Wilde's beautiful verse faithfully follows the twists and turns of the drama's extraordinary plot - and reveals it to be more modern than it seems. With arias, ensembles, a love-duet and a death scene, a quartet of fine singers brings to life this grand, ‘Italian-style’ opera for intimate spaces.

http://edwardlambert.co.uk/duchess.html

Edward Lambert: The Duchess of Padua

Edward Lambert: Chamber music

Choral and vocal music by Edward Lambert

Piano Concerto (simulation)

Recording of first performance of this new version by Edward Lambert. Uses English text of King James Bible (not a translation of the German). Music arranged for modern chamber ensemble of 6 instruments.

Schütz: The Christmas Story

Concerto grosso for harp & strings (simulation)

“Would all those there were turned into a corpse!"
Adapted from The Revenger’s Tragedy by Thomas Middleton (1606) - famously made into the 2002 movie starring Christopher Eccleston, Eddie Izzard and Derek Jacobi - this brand new chamber opera is set in a dystopian underworld of criminality, lust and murder. Vindicio is a young man played by a woman who, for much of the drama, disguises himself as a woman. And that’s just the start. He carries around with him the death mask of his girlfriend whom the King murdered; he seeks revenge, but is intercepted by the King’s son, the Prince, who wants to bed Vindicio’s sister. So begins this saga of revenge which is over 400 years old - but still a timeless indictment of corruption and sleaze in the corridors of power.

Masque of Vengeance Scene 05

Masque of Vengeance Scene 04

Masque of Vengeance Scene 03

Masque of Vengeance Scene 02

Masque of Vengeance Scene 01

The Duchess of Padua Act 2 (1) A State Room

The Duchess of Padua  Act 1 (4) I do, your Grace

The Duchess of Padua Act 1 (3) Guido, are you honest?

The Duchess of Padua Act1 (2) Guido learns

The Duchess of Padua Act 1 (1) The Market Place of Padua

04 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (190) Orsino's instructions

09 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (501) Viola's aria "Make me a willow cabin"

22 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 4 (001) The Lord of Misrule

19 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 3 (048) Yellow stockings!

02 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (053) Feste & Orsino sing of love

25 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 4 (510) Dance-Finale

07 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (341) Olivia & Viola meet

01 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (001) Dance-Prelude

15 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 2 (491) Sebastian's appearance

06 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (302) Olivia, Feste, Malvolio

20 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 3 (244) The duel

11 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 2 (001) Maria's plot

14 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 2 (350) "Come away, death - If music be the food of love"

18 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 3 (001) Sebastian & Feste

17 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 2 (883) Andrew & Toby tipsy

03 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (138) Maria & Sir Toby, then Viola & Orsino

12 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 2 (025) Viola "I left no ring with her"

16 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 2 (577) Nocturne & Trio

08 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (400) Duet & Ensemble

23 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 4 (187) The plot thickens

10 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (558) Olivia's aria "You might do much"

05 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 1 (236) Ensemble

13 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 2 (095) Malvolio finds the letter

21 Edward Lambert: Twelfth Night Act 3 (528) Olivia meets Sebastian

Rapture 2 - Eve

Rapture 6 - Revelation & War

N FIVE YEAR’S TIME

Lorca’s play of 1931 is in thrall to surrealism: his friends Salvator Dali and Luis Buñuel had collaborated in the making of Un Chien Andalou (1929). Clearly, Lorca was experimenting to see how surrealism could translate into theatre. The drama explores themes of frustrated love, decay and death; yet this darkness is also clothed in fun and topsy-turviness and so questions the nature of time and reality. 

This operatic version is a free translation and adaptation by the composer of Lorca’s text.


Scene 1
In Belisa’s dressing room, her wedding dress hanging on a mannequin is pining to be worn. Her friends admire her wedding dress.

Scene 2
In his library, Federico, the poet, talks with Fernando, an old friend. He explains he has put off his marriage to Belisa for five years. Rosita, his secretary, seems upset at being ignored.

Scene 3
A mortuary: a child explains to a dead cat what it was like to die.

Scene 4
In a forest, three clowns from a circus troupe sing and dance. 

Scene 5
Belisa won’t wait five years and instead takes a lover. Her friends are distraught. decides not to go through with the wedding; the mannequin is distraught.

Scene 6
Back in Federico’s library, Juan boasts of his sexual conquests. Rosita, angry now, decides to leave Federico’s employment.

Scene 7
In the mortuary, the cat tells of the cruelty that killed it.

Scene 8
Five years later, in Venice, Rosita and the mask of a countess talk in a gondola. The mask once belonged to a famous opera singer…

Scene 9
Federico comes to claim Belisa, his fiancée, but finds only the mannequin who tells him to look elsewhere for a bride.

Scene 10
The worlds of the forest and Venice collide in carnival time. Encouraged by the clowns, Federico pours out his feelings for Rosita. She decides to make him wait five years.

Scene 11
The dead child and the dead cat are afraid of being buried.

Scene 12
Federico and his friends assemble. The cat is taken away by a giant hand. Terrified, the child soon meets the same fate. Simultaneously, the friends return, shoot the ace of hearts which has appeared in the bookshelves and leave Federico for dead.

In Five Years' Time Scene 1

In Five Years' Time Scene 5 ii

In Five Years' Time Scene 2 i

In Five Years' Time Scene 3

In Five Years' Time Scene 11 i

In Five Years' Time Scene 12 i

In Five Years' Time Scene 9 ii

In Five Years' Time Scene 12 ii

In Five Years' Time Scene 8ii

In Five Years' Time Scene 11ii

Yin and Yang Cantata

Duo for violin & cello

Chamber Concerto by Edward Lambert

recorded by the Locrian String Quartet 1979

Edward Lambert - String Quartet no 1

Edward Lambert: Chamber Music

Concerto Cubico for horn (or trombone), marimba & harp

Brighter than the Sun - complete

Mass for Four Voices

Pange Lingua for 4 voices

Rossetti Requiem for soloists, choir & orchestra

Te Deum for choir & piano

Edward Lambert - String Quartet no 2

3 String Quartets

Edward Lambert - String Quartet no 3

Performance by The Music Troupe at Arlington Arts Centre, Newbury for a dance performed by Ace Dance Company 7 June 2014

Although this piece has the same underlying tempo throughout, it falls into two sections, the first of which is slow and peaceful with gradually evolving harmonies. The second springs to life with dynamic rhythms and melodic fragments, while the harmonic shifts bring with them a kaleidoscopic shuffle of ideas.

Sonata for Strings "Stillleben"

Trio Sonata for horn or trumpet, double-bass & piano

Chamber opera for 8 voices and 9 instrumentalists

Lorca’s poetic drama of 1931 is in thrall to a surreal dream-world: his friends Salvator Dali and Luis Buñuel had collaborated in the making of Un Chien Andalou (1929) and Lorca was experimenting to see how surrealism could translate into theatre. The play explores themes of frustrated love, personal identity, decay and death; yet it does so in the manner of a fairy tale, clothed in fun and topsy-turviness. It confuses the nature of time and reality and, in the process, examines the illusion of theatre. This operatic version is a free translation and adaptation of Lorca's text.

In Five Years' Time (Simulation)

Edward Lambert / The Music Troupe

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